Dissonance
by Crestfallen Writer
Summary: Many children believed their mothers were out of this world. Usually considered only a figure of speech, in Taylors case - well, it wasn't.
1. Chapter 1

_A Worm/Star Wars Crossover. Taylor might be slightly TINO, at least in the beginning years of the story – her mother is, after all, in the picture, and bad crap that usually follows her hasn't happened. These little chapters will be ~1.5k words long each._

 _Also, this is an AU. If I get things wrong from the SW Universe, assume it's all part of the plan._

1.

It was vast and deep. It surrounded all life, all universe – even now it ebbed and flowed throughout galaxies and worlds, connecting and binding everyone and everything living to it. It existed in all realities, passing the boundaries often left unpassed. Life and death, time and space, and the physical and mental were all intertwined together through it – through the Force.

In a galaxy far, far closer than you'd expect, one could find a small system, comprised of a single, bright yellow dwarf, and eight planets with their moons surrounding it. A normal, simple system bearing resemblance to many others, seemingly nothing out of the ordinary.

Seemingly.

For this system held a planet, the only planet of the system which had life, and it held Force. All beings had it, and that was the case in this planet of dirt, water and infrastructure. The powerful entities had it, though warped and twisted to their needs. Their creations had it, suited to a single purpose.

And perhaps, most importantly, a woman and her small daughter had it. They weren't as strong as the powerful entities or even as powerful as some of the entities creations, but they were _pure_ , not tainted by the Dark Side of the Force. And in a world so filled with pain and suffering, Light was not easily found or obtained, for the Dark bloomed in such an environment.

 **-o-**

The soft patter of steps could be heard in the house, all lights off and most residents asleep. A siren could be heard from further away in the city, and a group of youth was frolicking outside on the driveway, doing what the young do. It was a clear night, with no clouds, and while the light of the city was bright, the stars in the sky could be seen with the moon.

The steps in the sleeping house belonged to a little girl, suffering from nightmares. She was holding on to a soft plushy bunny, squeezing it against her chest and determinately keeping the tears away from her eyes. Her steps took her through the house, little legs carrying her as fast as she could, and soon she arrived at her parents' room.

She tried opening the door slowly, trying not to wake the two up. She was a big girl, and big girls didn't wake their parents up even if they _really_ wanted to. But the door creaked, and soon the girl could hear shuffling in their bed. Her mom had probably noticed. She noticed everything.

"Taylor?" came out the voice. "You should be asleep."

Taylor stopped the door halfway. She really shouldn't be bothering her mother. Nightmares were just dreams, and they weren't true. She could just deal with them herself, and not worry her parents. Taylor started closing the door, hoping that her mom would not notice her. She did.

"Come here, Taylor," she called out. "Tell me what's wrong."

And like that, little Taylor burst into tears and ran inside the bedroom jumping to her mother's grasp. She extended her small arms and grabbed hold, sobbing against her mom's pajamas.

Annette murmured assurances, stroking her hair gently. "Don't cry, youngling. Don't cry. Mommy is here."

"Do you want me to…?" started the husband and father, having just woken up by the crying. He had an early day tomorrow, and so his wife waved him off. She stood up, picking up her sobbing daughter, still whispering reassurances.

"Try to get some sleep, Danny." she said, and walked outside their room to the silent house with her child.

She went outside with Taylor, sitting down on the grass in their backyard. Taylor had stopped crying and had calmed down, only sniffling occasionally. She still held her close to her, giving her warmth on the chilly autumn eve. A plane flew in the sky, leaving a trail of condensation behind.

"Did you have nightmares?" asked her mother. Taylor nodded, wiping her eyes using her bunny. "What about?"

"So many lights," she muttered softly against the bunny. "I dun' remember."

Are you sure? That you don't remember anything?" asked her mother, a small frown on her face. Taylor knew that dreams were _sometimes_ important, not always – her mom had always said that if she remembered any dreams or nightmares she had she should tell them to her.

This time Taylor didn't remember anything, not like some other times. So she shook her head, starting sobbing again. What if her mom wanted her to see something? What if something bad would happen if she didn't remember? The last time she hadn't told anyone about her bad dream, mommy had been disappointed.

And now she couldn't remember _anything_.

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay," Annette cooed, gently squeezing Taylor in a hug.

Her mom then laid back on the ground, holding her against her chest. Taylor could feel the slight evening breeze ruffling the grass around them. A rare silence had fallen over the whole city, only the far-away echo of cars disturbing the otherwise serene night. A flock of birds flew over them both, all heading south to warmer climates.

"Look at the sky, little owl," said her mother, still stroking her hair. "What do you see?"

"Lots of stars," murmured Taylor, blowing her nose on her mom's pajamas. Annette made a face, thinking about her daughter's horrible manners, but didn't comment.

"Well, one day all what you can see here will be yours, and-"

" _Moom_ ," she giggled, curling up even closer to her. "You're not _Simba's_ _dad!_ You're not even a dad!"

"No, I guess I'm not," said Annette, smiling at her. Then she turned her attention back to the sky. "But while they're not yours, I can show you them. Pick a star, Taylor. Any star. There won't be any nightmares up there."

Taylor peered at the sky, squinting her eyes trying to see better. At first look, there wasn't that much to see – only a couple of bright spots, some moving, some static. But the longer she looked the more she could see, and while many of them looked the same, some were brighter than the others.

"I dun' wanna bother you, mom," she said, a bit sheepishly. "You said _Mirage_ was broken."

Her mother smiled softly at her. "I think I can fix her before your naming day. I just got new parts, and- well. Don't worry about it. Just pick a star you'd like to go to."

Taylor smiled, nightmares almost forgotten. She _really_ liked space, and whenever mom had taken her flying, it had been so cool. The last time she had gone was more than _three_ months ago, and she was itching to see more.

"That one!" she said, pointing upwards at a star. Mom would know what star she was pointing at.

"Capella?" Taylor nodded. "I don't know about that, technically it's not _a_ star – it's actually _four_ stars, so-"

" _Moom!"_ the little girl interrupted, smacking her small hand against her mother's. "You promised!"

"Yes, yes. Calm down, youngling. Don't let your emotions take a hold of you. I'll take you there," mom said, a soft smile on her. "But now we should go back to bed."

Taylor was soon enough bundled up in her mother's arms, and she didn't complain while going back. She had just gotten promised a trip to outer space, and no nightmares would damper her happiness. Annette smiled back at her, joy bounding through their familial bond. Taylor's innocent happiness often was infectious.

Annette glided through the house, making little sound. She kept Taylor on her arms, her daughter smiling with her eyes closed, serene and calm. A dirty pajama was worth this view.

She was soon at Taylor's room (the girl had demanded one a week ago, since she was now four and a big girl – although she slept in her parents' room half of the time), and opened the door. The hinges were fixed a couple of days ago, so it made little noise. Taylor was soon tucked in the bed with her bunny, breathing softly.

"Good night, little owl," Annette said, and closed the door.

 **-o-**


	2. Chapter 2

**2.**

 _One, two, three, four, five, six,_ counted Taylor, taking a deep breath. She and her mom were currently meditating, or at least practicing meditating. They had started a few weeks ago, when Annette had thought Taylor was being too rambunctious. Now the both of them were sitting in an empty room, legs crossed and backs straight.

Taylor really didn't like meditating. Her mommy always said that it was important and she would like it in the future, and that it was a special thing to do. But she didn't like it at _all._ Sitting still for hours was boring, no matter how good it would be. And she usually didn't do it – any time when Annette came to drag Taylor into meditating, she complained and tried to get away every time.

This time she couldn't just run off, though. Her mom had promised a trip to the stars, and she couldn't just misbehave – that would take her window-seat rights away. So she had to suffer sitting still.

"I can sense you're frustrated," her mother said from her spot. She hadn't moved an _inch_ during the whole thirty minutes they had been there. "Release your emotions to the Force, Taylor. Don't let them cloud you."

The little girl's posture slumped, and she let out an exasperated huff. "I dun' know _how_ , mommy."

"Search yourself. Search the Force. The answer should come to you."

Mom really liked to say hard-to-understand stuff like that. How could Taylor search herself if she couldn't move? Searching the Force was hard enough – it felt _really_ bad to look into it. It was like looking into a- a _bad thing_ , and Taylor often felt sick afterwards.

But she tried. Her mom knew best, even if sometimes the best was stupid and dumb. When she had told mom about the nausea she felt from the Force, she had gotten an ice-cream and a hug. Her mom knew that the Force felt bad. Probably even to herself. But she still searched it and used it.

"Okay," muttered Taylor, and delved deep.

Taylor knew that the Force wasn't supposed to be like this. Here it was not-good, it's existence weird and odd. The Force was supposed to be good and nice. On Earth it followed conflict, aligned to bad things. She had been told by mom that in no way should she try to use these bad things. It was dangerous.

In space, far away from Earth, the Force was much, much better. Compared to the horrible feeling on the planet, it was like hugging Fluffy, her bunny, really tight and close. It was soft, safe, and warm. Sometimes her mom took her on trips to nearby star systems and she could meditate there, but now since the _Mirage_ was broken, they had to do it at home.

So she tried searching herself, or whatever that meant. She thought about the last cookie she had eaten, and how good it tasted, she thought about the _Mirage_ , and maybe how mom would let her turn the hyperdrive on, and she thought about-

"Clear your mind, lively daughter of mine," said Annette, her mouth turned up in a small smile. "I can hear your vivaciousness from here."

Taylor didn't know what vivaciousness meant, but it surely was something stupid. Nevertheless, she stopped thinking about interesting things, and tried to not think about anything. So she thought about the color white, because it was the closest to clearing her mind she could do. Her mom sighed, and stood up.

"This isn't working," she said, as placidly as she could.

"It's hard," grumbled Taylor, arms crossed. "I can't jus' – not think 'bout anything."

"I know, honey. But you'll learn it soon," replied Annette, extending an arm to her daughter, who took it eagerly. "Let's go take a walk, hm?"

They exited the house, going into the bright daylight. It was a Saturday, but Danny was still at work – some important meeting was happening. The street they lived in was currently having a neighborhood-wide yard sale, and many front lawns were filled with interesting knick-knacks and people. Taylor and Annette walked down the road, the former greeting her friends with energetic hand-waves and the latter with polite smiles and nods.

Taylor could feel both wariness and happiness in the people around her. In her city wariness was an emotion often felt, with villains and bad people always around. At least this time they were happy. She saw Ellie, her friend from kindergarten, and tried running towards her, but Annette kept hold on her hand, sending slight exasperation at her. That meant Taylor's lessons weren't over. She pouted.

"You'll have more than enough time to play later," said her mother, amused. "But we should continue our walk."

"Okay," Taylor mumbled. She didn't like waiting so much, when she could have fun playing superheroes with her friend.

They moved on from their home street, moving west. The trees surrounding pathways were losing their leaves, and there were some volunteers swiping them off the roads. Taylor wanted to jump in one of the piles of leaves, but no doubt her mom would deny that.

"The Force is my ally. Yours too, little owl," said Annette, holding Taylor's hand, making sure she wouldn't run off. She was a good girl, but often prone for bouts of brashness. "It surrounds us. It guides us. It connects us all."

"I know that," answered Taylor, ready to argue.

"But do you understand? The Force is-" started her mother, only to pause for a few seconds. "-always there for you. You need to let it guide you; you need to trust it."

"It still feels bad," Taylor said.

"It does. But you remember how it helps you off-world? How it makes you feel _more_?" She nodded, and her mother continued. "You need to know that the bad feeling you get here isn't because _the Force_ is wrong, but it's because the _people_ who use it are wrong."

"Do others use the Force like us?" she asked, wonder in her voice. She thought she and her mom were the only ones – she'd never thought there'd be others!

"Many do," answered Annette. Then her smile dimmed a bit. "Or, well. Many did. I'm not quite so sure anymore."

"Can we meet them?"

"I'm sorry, young one," said Annette, pulling Taylor along some steps. They were going towards a hill. "But none live here on this planet, and most of our kind is either untrained or not with us anymore."

They climbed the steps, nearing the park on top of the mound. They found a bench without people, and Annette sat on it with Taylor joining her on her lap. The sky was clear, no cloud blocking the bright sun blazing down on the city.

"Close your eyes, Taylor," her mother said, taking on a lecturing tone. "Search the Force."

Taylor did as she was told, and looked. The nauseating emotion she always had while doing this was still present, and she automatically curled back, trying to avoid it. A hand was placed on her head, and she could hear her mother voice in her own mind.

 _See past the Dark Side,_ the voice said. _Don't ignore it, but don't give it any power._ _Let it flow past you. Don't let it get to you._

And so she pushed, helped by the warm presence of her mom, and she tried looking, tried finding the Force. She peered underneath, her childish innocence protecting her from temptations and vice, and there she found a glimpse of _something_. Taylor followed this something deeper, even deeper, and she was guided by it.

She could see anger, sadness, and guilt flowing around her, around Brocton Bay, but Taylor _knew_ that it wasn't all it was. There were positive things too, but all hidden. She kept following the _something_ , and passed through the murky darkness.

There, under all twisted space, she could see the Force as it should be. She jumped into it, letting it smother her, and she was joyed, because it was there – it was everywhere, now that she could find it. The Force hadn't been _bad_ , it was there, and-

She was enveloped in a hug, her mother smiling down at her.

"You found it, yes?" She asked. At Taylor's nod, she released her. "Good. It will be much easier for you to find in the future."

"Can I go play with Ellie now?" questioned Taylor. While she liked the Force, she liked playing superheroes even more.

Her mother sent amusement at her. "No. You still need to learn how to control and release your emotions."

Taylor groaned.

 **-o-**


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Taylor loved the _Mirage._ While some of the admiration came from the uniqueness factor, since not many four-year-olds had a parent who had a spaceship, most came simply from the fact that it was really interesting and cool. It still was a bit disappointing that nobody believed her in kindergarten when she said that she could go to space with her parents whenever she wanted.

The ship itself was a 'heavily modified V-19 Torrent', or so her mom said. It was a beautiful thing, with three wings and a sleek, red-and-white body. The room inside wasn't very big – only enough to fit a pilot and _maybe_ one passenger. That was okay for Taylor, since she fit snugly in her mother's lap when she was onboard.

Now she was lounging in the pilot's chair, peering at the number of buttons and levers on the control panel. Her dad was outside in the forest reading a book, and her mom was fixing some mechanical problem, soldering some electrical wiring together. The only downside in going to the ship was that it took so long, with them having to drive and walk for hours just to find the forest it was hid in.

"What's this for?" asked Taylor, pointing at one blue button.

Annette took one look at it before getting back to her work. "Don't touch that, honey. It primes the laser cannon on the left wing."

"You never told me we had _laser cannons!_ " Taylor said, and pressed down the button. When it didn't prime the laser cannon, Taylor's face fell. "Mom, I think it's broken. Nothing is happening."

"The main power is off, Taylor. That's why it's not working," said her mother, letting out a short laugh.

"Where's the main power button, then?"

Annette let out some amusement and suspicion, and Taylor crossed her arms petulantly. "I'm not gonna use the laser, mom!"

"I believe you," replied her mother, half of her body in some maintenance shaft on the side of the _Mirage_. "But it could create some problems with my repairs. You'll have to enjoy this beauty without the engines on, unfortunately."

Taylor huffed and turned back to the control panel. She took the wheel and started turning and whirling it, adding her own sound-effects. She imagined herself flying in space, fighting against space robots and mean aliens, using the laser cannons to destroy all evil from the universe. _Pew!_ There went the robot frigate. _Bang!_ The fighter of the mean aliens exploded.

She imagined herself in her mother's stories, sweeping past planets, saving people, and helping others. When Taylor was older, she was going to take the _Mirage_ and go be an interstellar superhero. She only needed a costume, since her superhero-name was already thought out. She was going to be Space Protector, after one of her favorite heroes.

But first she'd have to grow up. Her mommy wouldn't let her pilot, let alone save worlds until she was _at least_ fourteen. Taylor thought it was a stupid rule, but she supposed this was a lesson. She'd have to be really patient, and then she'd get to fly. If only she would grow up faster!

"Taylor?" asked her mother. One arm extended out of the panel-less wall. "Could you please pass me the holopad on your left?"

"Sure!" she said, hopping out of the chair and taking the device. Its contents were in Basic, and Taylor couldn't understand it. She was a bit dismayed – she had just learned to read English. What use was reading for if she couldn't understand the interesting stuff?

Taylor passed the holopad for the waiting hand, and it soon disappeared back in the mess of circuits and wires inside the walls of the ship. Curious as she was, Taylor peeked inside, seeing the soft glow of the pad hologram giving light. Her mom was reading it and using some sort of spark machine to fix some things at the same time. She wasn't very versed in spaceship technology or lingo.

"What're you doing?" She asked.

Annette paused in her repairs to glance at Taylor before answering. "The repulsorlift has been acting like an angry Cherfer lately. I think I've gotten most of the problems fixed, but I want to be certain."

"What're you reading?"

"An archived article called '100 Most Typical Problems On Repulsorlifts'," replied Annette, biting her lip, concentrating on her work. "Despite the title, it's actually very detailed."

"Oh," said Taylor, sitting down on the floor. After a moment or two, she continued with the bluntness only a child could achieve. "Can you teach me to read Basic?"

Annette flicked on some switches, creating a steady hum of noise inside the _Mirage_. She took off her gloves and welding mask, placing them next to Taylor the floor, and leaned towards her, swiping an errant lock of hair behind her ear.

"Maybe you should learn how to speak it first," Annette said, taking out a pen and jotting down a couple of notes. It was all in Basic, to Taylor's chagrin.

"They don't teach it in daycare," She muttered. "They say that aliens or space languages aren't real."

Annette hummed, browsing the holopad. Taylor took this as an invitation to continue. "Only Ellie _really_ believes me. The others think I'm weird. David says I'm weird, and he says I'm stupid. I hate him."

"What have we talked about hate?" asked her mom absentmindedly, now taking the drill out of the toolbox.

"That we don't," Taylor answered, slightly dejected. David was the one who was _actually_ stupid. He wasn't the one who had been in space, or seen far-away stars, or could levitate stuff.

"Remember that you can like people all you want," Annette lectured. "And dislike people all you want. But violent hate? Or unconditional love? Those lead to ruin. Avoid extreme emotions."

"But I love you, mommy," said Taylor, confused. Wasn't she supposed to?

Her mother froze on the spot, eyes widening. She sat down next to Taylor slowly, putting the drill down next to her. A brief silence passed, Taylor still bewildered. She liked her mom and dad more than anything. That wasn't wrong.

"I- I do too, sweetheart," Annette whispered, not looking at her daughter. "But it- It is not the Jedi way. We shouldn't form attachments."

"Do you…" started Taylor, uncomfortable. "Do you wanna _not_ like me?"

"No- No!" answered her mom, now looking at her. "I do want to love you. And I do. You're my child."

"Attachments aren't necessarily _bad_ ," continued Annette. "But they can cause many things, good and bad. Us Force-users, we- we can't let the bad, the Dark Side, affect us. So to avoid the Dark Side, we avoid attachments, and it helps."

"But I like Ellie. I like you and daddy," Taylor replied, a small frown on her face. "And I like Fluffy and grandma."

Her mother looked pained. "And you can still like all of us. But honey, you need to be able to let go of anger and all sorts of negative emotions. If, let's say, Ellie got hurt because of David, would you be angry?"

"Yes," was the reply. "David is a big dummy. And Ellie is my friend."

"To be a good user of the Force, to be a part of the Light Side," said Annette, wringing her arms. "To be a Jedi, you mustn't be angry or mad. You must be calm. Compassionate, but collected. But it's very hard not to be angry when a friend is in trouble, right?"

If- If something happened to my friends, 'course I'd be mad!" Taylor objected. "I'd have to help them!"

"And you _would_ help them," interrupted her mother, tone patient. "But not through anger."

Annette then rose up from the floor, forcing on a smile before the little girl could reply. "I think that's enough philosophy for today. I heard Danny has some ice-cream outside in the cooler – maybe you'd like some?"

"What kind of ice-cream?" asked Taylor suspiciously. She wasn't easily deterred.

"Chocolate, of course."

And so little Taylor ran outside to her father, screaming about chocolate ice-cream. The family ate together all of it, the girl focusing on stuffing as much frozen ice in her mouth as she could, soon experiencing her first brain-freeze. The talk about attachments was soon gone from Taylor's memory.

But not Annette's.

 **-o-**


	4. Chapter 4

_My knowledge of Star Wars spacecraft, and, well, any scifi fiction spacecraft is horribly limited. So please excuse my lack of Starfighter jargon._

4.

"This never gets old for me," mused Danny from behind the pilot seat, looking at the vast expanse of space before him. "To think that I'd visit outer space almost regularly nowadays – a younger me would've called me crazy."

"It is a sight to see," admitted Annette. She was holding Taylor in her lap, using the ship's interface to set the coordinates to the star system Capella, about 13 parsecs away from Earth. They were currently floating slightly next to the Earth's moon. "But it does get lonely sometimes."

"Well, we're here. Maybe you won't get that lonely now."

Annette smiled at her husband. The navicomputer had finished the calculations necessary for the trip – she'd found out the possible lanes for hyperspace travel for nearby star systems many years ago, and by using an old template of the routes she could cut down the mathematical part of the travel by hours. It _was_ a bit dangerous, with the possibility of debris or asteroids interjecting the path _Mirage_ would take, but the chance was still minimal. And besides, it was little Taylor's naming day. She couldn't _not_ take her to the stars.

No matter in which system Annette had been, the highlights had always been the stars. They were just so beautiful, giving light and guidance to the beings in all existence. Sometimes when she fell deep into meditation, she could almost feel them calling out to her, whispering to her. Not as often as before, when the Jedi Order still was, but often enough.

She quickly checked the readings, determining that the Simurgh was on the opposite side of the planet, and not right next to them. She'd have nothing to do with that abomination of the Force if she had any say in it. Even after living many years on Terra, she had very little idea what the Endbringers actually were. And from what she'd seen and felt, she didn't want to know.

"Prepare for the jump into hyperspace, passengers," said Annette, taking her thoughts away from those Force-damned things. "The motivator is motivated, our ion drive is functional once again, and nobody is in vacuum."

She flicked a switch, making the lights inside flicker and the ship shake slightly. It wasn't dangerous – she had designed the whole thing to instill a sense of responsibility to her daughter. If she knew that equipment could break down and cause terrible consequences, she wouldn't grow up to be reckless.

Taylor also liked the flashing lights. But Annette wasn't fulfilling her child's wishes, no. She was merely being responsible.

"This really doesn't seem that safe," commented Danny from the back. Annette wisely ignored his concerns, turning her attention to Taylor, who was watching raptly at distant lights of space.

"Do you want to do the honors?" she asked, getting an exaggerated and fast series of nods as an answer. "Go ahead, then."

Taylor wiggled forward in her lap, reaching out to the interface in front of both mother and child. Annette could sense a feeling of excitement from her.

If someone had told Annette that she'd willingly have a child and grow to adore her and teach her ten years ago, she would have been insulted and amused at the same time. After all, she'd been one of the staunch believers of the Jedi Code and its tenets. For someone to imply that she would break the rules, the Code, voluntarily? Not even the greatest precognizant Force users would have convinced her of it.

But, well. That had been ten years ago, before the rise of the Sith. Before her escape to an unknown, nigh-lifeless part of the galaxy, with beings twisted in the Force. Before- before the fall of the Jedi. And even with all that happening, she often still wondered if she was right to actually care so much for her.

"Three, two, one…" started little Taylor, biting her lip like Annette often did. "And… go!"

The darkness of space soon turned into blue, seemingly endless tunnel. It was like gliding through a storm, except you didn't have to worry about lightning, radiation, errant Barri, or navigation. While the journey could turn dangerous easily, Annette was lucky enough to have _Mirage_ by her side. The old Starfighter wasn't in the best of states aesthetically or martially, but the upgrades she had gotten throughout it's years were state-of-the-art.

A cloaking device she had socialized from Nar Shaddaa, capable of blocking all emissions and making the _Mirage_ invisible to the naked eye _and_ sensors, powered by some Terran parahuman-made fuel instead of stygium crystals. A class 0.75 hyperdrive to make traveling faster, easier and smoother. A reclining pilot's seat. And multiple little modifications and fixes to the spacecraft, done to make the _Mirage_ better in all ways. The maintenance was a major drain on her funds, but well worth it.

"Oh god," mumbled Danny feebly. "This is nauseating."

"This is fun!" giggled Taylor.

They soon entered realspace once more, the blue tunnel fading away. Annette had visited this particular star system once before, so she wasn't _that_ amazed. Her family on the other hand was, if their simultaneous gasps were any indication.

It was, in all honesty, one of the most beautiful systems she had ever been in. Two giant stars circling each other in their blazing glory, bigger than any planets or stars nearby Terra. They were accompanied by two smaller dwarfs further away, also in a binary system. The _Mirage_ had stopped a few million klicks before them, coming to a full stop. The spacecraft could go much closer, but Annette didn't want to risk anything.

"Woow," went her daughter, her face glued to the transparisteel. The alloy had turned slightly opaque to protect their eyes from the luminous stars. "So pretty."

"Incredible," whispered Danny.

The biggest star flared up, particles and plasma colliding in force, causing a blue blaze to erupt from the surface. The _Mirage's_ sensors caught huge amounts of radiation about to sweep past it, and the shielding was automatically activated, averting any possible danger. The spacecraft was illuminated in blue light, a soft glow permeating the vicinity of the gas giant.

"A good gift for your naming day, is it not?" Annette commented on an enthralled Taylor. Her daughter nodded dumbly, face still nearly stuck on the transparent alloy.

There they sat, the whole family, watching something that very few people ever saw in their lives. Annette could feel the Force _thrum_ , connecting them all. She could feel the Unifying Force, binding and existing in all universe. She could see further than usual, getting glimpses of familiar planets in a more familiar part of the galaxy in addition to the twisted planet of Terra. Ilum, Kalee, Ansion – even Coruscant, if looked for.

She could feel Taylor, her little owl, and they existed together in the universe, not as a mother and a child, or a teacher and a pupil, but as wielders of the Force, both Living and Unifying. She knew that Taylor could feel it too, with their bond clearer than ever. Even Danny, a sentient non-Force-sensitive, had some understanding that _something_ was happening.

Her daughter reached out to her, hands seeking comfort and safety. The little girl was experiencing something new and odd, and Annette could sense her nervousness easily. If she had been teaching an initiate or any other youngling, a brisk reprimand would've been in place – the Force is to be trusted and followed, not to be afraid of. But she was with a child of her own. Her flesh and blood. Someone that believed in her without any reservations. Someone who would've never existed, if all would've ended well in the war.

Annette pulled Taylor closer, sending out reassurance and comfort. Her daughter was a natural empath, and soon enough the little girl picked up on it, relaxing slightly. She and Danny shared a fond look.

The stellar storm was passing them by, the faint blue glow slowly disappearing from the inside of the ship. With it the awareness of the Force faded back to normalcy, the extrasensory awareness reverting with it. Little Taylor peered up cautiously at Annette.

"Well, little owl. That was something, wasn't it?" she asked, patting her daughter's head. It bobbed up and down adorably.

Taylor took a while to answer. "Yea'," she eventually said. "It was."

Her daughter spent a few minutes in contemplation, pondering about what had just happened. Annette was proud of her – while Taylor wasn't the calmest of learners, she exemplified many Jedi values. This feeling of proudness turned soon into bemusement, when a meteoroid flew past the ship and her daughter insisted on following it. The time after that was spent chasing it around through space.

They came back to Terra with some bumps in the V-19's plating and a piece of a meteoroid as a souvenir for her little girl.

 **-o-**


	5. Chapter 5

5.

Taylor fiddled with the picture held in her hands. She'd worked on it for a long time, trying to perfect the image of her family in space. In the drawing, she was the one piloting the _Mirage_ , with her mom and dad watching her. The background she'd colored black – the stars were done with white glitter. There was a big blue splat of paint in the middle, indicating a planet.

It was parents' day in kindergarten today, and her nemesis, David, was currently showing off his PRT-officer father. Taylor wasn't paying much attention, really – while his father sounded and looked interesting, she wouldn't give David the satisfaction of her interest. Besides, she had a more interesting parent.

Said parent was sitting on the beanbags in the back of the room with other mothers and fathers, discussing their children, the weather, and the current gang situation in the city. Taylor herself was sitting in the front with Ellie and Ellie's new friend, Emma. She didn't know Emma very well, her having just moved to Taylor's kindergarten group, but she seemed nice.

"Very interesting stuff!" said the teacher to David's father, who returned the compliment with a smile and a lazy salute. "A round of applause for both men!"

A round of applause followed, David puffing up at a mention of him being a man. Taylor scoffed. He was a baby at most, in her opinion. When the two passed Taylor, they glared at each other, eyes narrowed.

"Poop-head," he whispered.

"Dumb-butt," she replied back.

Taylor turned her head away from the boy, arms crossed in annoyance. It seemed like he just couldn't leave her alone. Her friend soon poked her shoulder, a concerned frown on her face.

"Don't worry 'bout 'im," said Ellie, pulling her in a one-armed squeeze. "He's stupid."

"And mean!" Emma piped up. They shared a comforting group hug.

The teacher searched the room with her gaze, looking at the gaggle of children. "Who'd like to go next? Would you like to introduce your mom to us, Taylor?" she asked, eying Taylor's small group.

"Okay!" answered the little girl, jumping up to her feet and running to the back of the room. She pulled Annette away from her discussion, and the two walked to the front of the classroom hand in hand. Taylor felt a bit nervous, but her mother reassuring presence helped her be calm.

She looked at her, who smiled at her, head slightly tilted. The teacher looked at her kindly, her hand moving in a 'go ahead' gesture. Taylor cleared her throat, like she'd seen adults do, and lifted the picture she'd drawn for everyone to see.

"This is a picture of me, mom, and dad in space. We're inside _Mirage_ , our spaceship," started Taylor, showing the drawing around. She could feel a bit of bemusement from her audience and slight exasperation from the teacher. "Usually mom pilots, 'cause Dad and me can't, but I'm gonna learn one day, and-"

"While I do like your stories, Taylor," interrupted the teacher with a kind tone. "Maybe you should tell us about Annette, not outer space."

"I was gonna get to it," mumbled Taylor, blushing. David and his friends were snickering. Her mom put her arm on her shoulder, and smiled down at her. _I can do the rest, if you wish,_ she heard in her mind. Taylor shook her head. She could do the start – she wasn't going to just let her mom do all the work.

"My mom is the best mom ever," she started. "She's cool and smart, and knows lots of languages. She's never scared and always knows what to do. She's can fly a spaceship, fix anythin' – she's the best!"

Taylor glanced at her mother, beaming at her. "When I grow up, I'll be just like her!"

Annette took a step forward, taking hold of Taylor's hand. "If you younglings want to know, I work as a repairs mechanic nowadays – when I'm not flying my spaceship, of course," she said, a twinkle in her eye. "It's nice work to do. If you'd like to ask anything of me, please, go ahead."

"Do you _really_ go to space?" someone asked. "Isn't she lying?"

"I think," started Annette, looking at the audience. "That you would do well to realize that improbable events are not _impossible._ What others think of as lies, others think of it as truth. Dismiss nothing, and you may find some impossibilities yourself."

The boy who had asked the question fidgeted. "Err… was that a yes or no?"

Annette sighed. "No, my daughter isn't lying."

The classroom erupted in questions.

Twenty minutes or so later Annette sat down, joining the other parents once more. They smiled at her and one joked about visiting the moon of Terra. Nobody seemed to have taken her stories of the galaxies very seriously, and from what Annette felt they had been mostly amused.

Terran people had beings with immense power in their hands, capable of bending the Force to their will, and for some reason the concept of space travel and other sentients was nearly unbelievable for them. It was absurd – when she'd arrived on this forsaken planet, she'd taken every precaution, every security. She'd lived in secrecy, using the barest amount of the Force, hiding from the authorities, and avoided contact with - well, everything.

Now? She'd just told multiple sentients that she regularly visited other systems and was from another planet, and nobody batted an eye. From she could gather, most thought that Annette merely indulged her little owl's 'fantasies'. A couple thought of her a bit dim, but most felt amused.

She wasn't complaining. The Empire couldn't reach this planet, or didn't consider it worthy to do so, but that didn't mean that she'd want to flaunt her presence in this system. She was, after all, hiding.

Annette didn't want to stay hidden for all her years, though. One day, maybe when little Taylor has grown older, she'd go back to her home galaxy. She was a Jedi – a protector of peace, the helper of the needy, and she would not stand and watch the Sith ravage the homes of many. While the Jedi as an Order did not exist anymore, _she_ did, and Annette was sure that she was not the only one. There had been many more talented Knights and Masters who could've survived.

But she'd have to wait. Taylor, while an unplanned child, was still wanted, and Annette would give her child all the guidance she could. It was duty as a Force wielder to another, as a teacher to a student, and as a- a mother to her child.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Hebert?" said the kindergarten teacher, interrupting her line of thought. "Could we have a word in private?"

"Of course," she answered, getting slightly annoyed. No doubt this was about Taylor's 'wild imagination'.

The two went outside the classroom, Annette nodding at her fellow parents, who were now blathering on about taxes. While she considered herself a person with good resilience, she couldn't be anything but glad to leave the inane discussion.

Danny took care of the taxes, and she was fine with that.

"So," said the teacher, closing the door and pulling out two chairs for them to sit on. "You must know what I want talk about."

"Taylor, I presume," answered Annette, sitting down on the offered stool.

"Yeah," started the teacher. "I want to start off saying that there is nothing wrong with playing along in children's games or actions. I do that with my kids all the time."

The teacher shifted uncomfortably. "But Taylor… Taylor has been talking about these spaceships and aliens for all the years she has been here. Usually kids have a certain game or thing they do, but not for that _long._ "

"Mm." A noncommittal answer, an invitation to continue.

"And there are certain realities everyone has to learn at some point," said the teacher before rushing to continue. "Not now, of course! She's still five, yes, but – don't you think this has gone on a bit too long? I don't really think you should encourage her imaginations so openly. It can't be good for her, developmentally."

Annette was silent for a moment. "Have you ever considered that she was telling the truth?"

The teacher let out a short laugh. "Yes, I have. But there have never been such things as extraterrestrial beings, and besides, your family is too human to be alien. If anything, you could be some sort of parahuman and little Taylor is rationalizing this with her space stories." A moment later she continued a bit more hesitantly: "You- you aren't some villain, are you?"

"Of course not," replied Annette, rolling her eyes.

"Of course," said the teacher, wiping her brow with a slightly forced smile. "So I have to ask – could you talk to Taylor about what is true, and what is not? It would be good for all of us, child or adult."

Annette sighed. "I'll do that."

"Good. Great!" Taylor's teacher answered, rising up. Annette rose with her, going to the classroom door, slightly opening it. "It's good for your child to understand that her mother doesn't own a spaceship."

"You misunderstand. She's spoken only the truth." said Annette. The teacher raised an eyebrow. She in turn raised her arm, and let the Force flow through her. "You find nothing odd about Taylor's infatuation with space."

Her target blinked twice, before repeating her words. "I find nothing odd about her infatuation with space."

A smile crept on Annette's face. "Good that we could agree on that. Should we go back in and enjoy the other performances?"

The teacher shook her head, obviously very confused. "Uh, yeah. We should- yes. Let's go back."

The door opened and closed, and Annette was just in time to see a son-father pair enter the front of the classroom, the son holding up a firefighter's helmet. Taylor noticed her coming in and beamed, waving at her. Annette smiled back. She'd have to have a talk of secrecy with her little owl, unfortunately.

 **-o-**


	6. Chapter 6

6.

"Rrrrrring!"

The school bell rang, and the teacher's voice was soon muffled by the horde of primary school students rising up and packing up to leave. Taylor was still sitting on her seat, scribbling down answers for her homework, so she wouldn't have to do them at home. Emma was already standing, her backpack secured.

"Gimme a minute!" she barked out, writing furiously.

Her friend sighed with great exaggeration. "Daddy is waiting for us. You can do those when you're home."

"I'll be quick!"

Another sigh, this one more resigned. "I'm going to the car. Come soon."

Taylor nodded, and turned her whole focus onto the homework. She had better thing to do at home, and she wouldn't waste time on such useless things such as knowing trees from one another. She quickly filled out the maple, oak, and pine, but left the one she didn't know over – she could whine the answer from Emma the next day.

The pencil was in her bag soon, and then she was running through the halls, meeting up with her friend who had walked with a much more sedate pace. Emma smiled at Taylor, and soon they were standing outside the school building, waiting for her friend's dad to arrive. Ever since Ellie had moved to another state, the two had been inseparable.

"…and Alexandria just _punched_ her through the wall – _the wall_ , Taylor! – and it was so amazing!" said an excited Emma, describing her action-packed trip to Los Angeles. "It was so – _uugh!_ She's my new favorite hero."

"But- but," spluttered Taylor. "What about Mouse Protector?"

"Has _she_ ever punched somebody through _a wall_?" asked her friend, looking at her like she was too little to understand. "Besides, Mouse Protector is a hero for kids. I'm not a kid anymore."

"We're seven, Emma. We're kids."

"I'm super mature," Emma huffed, crossing her arms. She was still smiling, though. "Hey, Tay. What superpower would you want to have?"

Taylor opened her mouth to say that she already _had_ a superpower – the Force was something she'd had forever. She wanted to show off her levitation tricks and how she could sense basic emotions, or how she sometimes saw dreams of the future. While her mom and dad were great, she wanted to have someone admire her. Even if she knew being too prideful was bad.

But her mom's words echoed through her head. _You can't tell anyone about your talent in the Force,_ Annette had said. _There are bad people throughout the whole galaxy who would like nothing more than to be rid of us._

Taylor thought that her mom's caution was a bit exaggerated. As far as she knew, nobody on Terra believed that the Force existed, and why would anybody even be after them? They hadn't done anything bad, and she doubted galactic supervillains were specifically aiming towards them. Her mother had only thinly smiled, and told Taylor that she'd explain the reason when she'd be older, and that for now she shouldn't talk so much about either space or her abilities.

Taylor wanted to be a superhero, though. Maybe her mom would let her be one when she was older, like how she would let her pilot the _Mirage_ or get a puppy. She could put on mask and nobody would recognize her, letting her keep her promise of secrecy for her mom and still help people and put bad guys in prison.

"Uh… I dunno," answered Taylor. For now, she had to keep secrets from her best friend, as much as it rankled her. She wouldn't break a promise she'd made.

"C'moon!" cajoled Emma, grinning at her. "There's something you'd want, just pick something! You can't pick Eidolon, though."

"Myrrdin is pretty cool."

"He's a wizard. He doesn't count," retorted her friend. "I don't think 'being a wizard' is a superpower."

"He's not a _real_ wizard, dummy," said Taylor. "He a parahuman, like everyone else with powers."

"No he isn't."

The girls started pleasantly bickering about Myrrdin's status as a wizard, waiting under an awning near the school for Emma's dad to come, the rain softly drizzling down. Soon enough the car arrived, and they both climbed in quickly, now decided on that Myrrdin was neither parahuman or wizard, actually being a shape-shifting hedgehog from the core of the planet. The whole car ride was spent on giggling and making up adventures for the supposed hedgehog.

They soon arrived to Taylor's house. She managed to get the answer for her tree-questionnaire from Alan, Emma's dad (The answer was birch), and then said goodbye for them both. Taylor scampered quickly to the porch, not wanting to get her books wet, and turned around to see the car driving away with a grinning Emma waving goodbye at her. She waved back.

Taylor opened the door using her own key she'd gotten when she'd started primary school, and called out. "Anyone home?" she tried, and when nobody answered, she went in.

Her dad was probably at work _again._ Ever since the Leviathan had appeared, he'd been busy negotiating, talking, firing people, hiring people, and being buried in work. Lately the hassle had been winding down, so hopefully she'd have more time to spend with him soon. While Danny wasn't from outer space, he was still a super dad and Taylor enjoyed playing games and spending time with him.

Her mom had left a couple days ago on a trip to find some resources on nearby planets and meteoroids to sell, and wouldn't be back until the end of the week. She'd left Taylor with exercises to carry out, both physical and in the Force. Taylor was already missing her – the bond between them was stretched far apart, and she could feel Annette only very faintly. The house was very lonely without her.

Taylor shucked off her sneakers to the shoe rack, taking off her slightly wet coat and hanging it up to dry. She took a premade sandwich from the fridge and ate it, throwing her school backpack in her room. She'd do her homework later; she had a different practice to do.

Stepping outside to the backyard, Taylor released her emotions of annoyance towards the weather to the Force. While it seemed a bit dumb to care much about small feelings of irritation, it could cloud her judgement and thoughts if left alone. At least, that's what her mother said, also impressing that practice would make perfect.

She placed down three stones on the ground in front of her, and sat down cross-legged. Telekinesis didn't come to her as naturally as empathy, but she tried her best. The purpose of the exercise was to levitate the stones to the air, one by one. When they all were in the air, first she was supposed to rotate them on their own axis, and then around each other. Taylor had never gotten that far – rotating them had proved to be too much for her. Her mom, who could lift trees if she wanted to, said that the problem didn't lie in her capabilities, but in her belief. Sometimes Taylor wondered if that was _really_ true, and that she actually was just bad with telekinesis.

She reached out to the Force, and floated the first pebble upwards, until it was on the level of her eyes. The first one was always easy. The second usually proved also little difficulty, and Taylor levitated that one up quite easily too. The third was a bit harder, causing the other two rocks shaking slightly. But she managed it, and soon there were three stones floating in front of her. _Now the hard part,_ she thought.

Taylor closed her eyes, getting a mentally good grip on the stones. She used her hands to emulate the movement of a rotation, and soon enough she could feel the first pebble turning in the air. Unfortunately, the other two had fallen on the ground, no Force to keep them up. This time Taylor didn't bother to release the annoyance she felt.

What was she doing wrong? She _knew_ she could turn and float things, so why couldn't she rotate them all at the same time? Taylor kicked the fallen rocks, sending them bouncing around the fenced yard _. Stupid rocks could float themselves for all she cared,_ she thought, but still ran to pick them up and set down on the ground, ready to try again.

Taylor's afternoon went like that, trying to practice her abilities in the Force. She didn't make much progress, just barely being able to rotate two rocks on their own, with the third lying on the ground. It rankled her greatly, but she managed to release most of the frustration away in time. Her exercise was almost finished, when it was interrupted by a small voice.

"Oh my," said Taylor's eighty-year-old neighbor over the fence, wide eyes locked on to the floating rocks in front of the little girl. They then looked at each other for what felt like minutes.

Then the grandpa slowly backed off from the wall, before sprinting as fast as an old man could inside. Taylor just sat there, stone-still, feeling the wariness and caution and fear exuding from the old man, but only understanding one thing – she'd just revealed the one thing she wasn't supposed to.

Her mom wasn't going to like this.

 **-o-**


	7. Chapter 7

7.

" _Dear Mr. & Mrs. Hebert,_

 _It has come to our knowledge through anonymous sources that your daughter is, with great certainty, in possession of parahuman abilities. This has been tentatively confirmed by the PRT sub-division WEDGDG. In most cases, we do not contact individuals with said abilities – past interactions with independent heroes, rogues, and villains have proven that communicating through their assumed identities is more favorable and safe for all parties involved._

 _Regarding children and even minors, the precedent is quite different. A trigger event, if you're unaware, is the event where a parahuman obtains their powers. This occurrence often involves extreme trauma through physical or mental means. Most parahuman children are afterwards extremely unstable and often with powerful or hard-to-control powers. You may understand our concern, both for the wellbeing of triggered children and the safety of inhabitants in the vicinity._

 _We hope you understand our reasons on contacting you. We have not divulged any information of your daughter or your family to anywhere except secure PRT databases, and every record of contact can and will be erased from the system. There are no juridical actions taken, unless deemed necessary._

 _That said, there will be a visit from a PRT psychologist, and if needed, child services, the following week on Monday, at 19:00. Attendance by both parents is mandatory by law. We in the PRT take the safety of Americans, and especially children, very seriously, and while we do not enjoy considering the possibility of abuse, it still is, in the end, a possibility we cannot ignore._

 _Traveling out of the state will be considered an illegal act and will be punished according to federal law. Recompense can and will be given, if the paperwork required is presented._

 _Hopefully this matter can be solved as soon as possible._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Emily Piggot  
Director of PRT-ENE_

 _Armsmaster  
Leader of Brocton Bay Protectorate"_

Danny's voice had started shaking with fury while reading the letter out loud. He slowly lowered his glasses on the kitchen table, as if afraid he would break them. Taylor was looking him, meek and a bit frightened. Annette could feel his anger, pulsing through the Force, and for once she was glad her husband was no Force user.

"Who do they think they are?" said Danny, practically growling. "They- they _spy_ on us, on our Taylor, and then they just decide we're some kind of child-abusers? That we caused 'extreme trauma' to her?"

"I've always trusted in the government, but this has gone too far," he continued. "Those executives and directors always think ends justify the means, don't they? They'll do _fucking_ anything-"

"Danny."

"to just get what they want, and-"

"Danny," interrupted Annette, this time more firmly. "You're scaring Taylor."

Her husband turned to their child. If Annette could feel his anger, no doubt Taylor could too. It was roiling and boiling and seeped negativity, and little Taylor was _scared_ , not because of the emotion itself – she felt it daily around Brockton Bay – but because it come from her dad, who was angry sometimes but never _this_ angry _._ Danny seemed to realize that, and leaned towards his daughter trying to comfort her, but she flinched backwards, grabbing a hold of her mother. Danny winced, realizing his fury, but his emotional spectrum had little positive change, his anger only slightly lessening.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," he tried, extending a hand at her. "I didn't mean to blow up like that. I'm sorry."

Taylor slowly took his hand, face scrunched up, almost in tears. "No _I'm_ sorry, daddy," she said. "It's all my fault. I wasn't thinking, and I didn't mean to show the grandpa, and I'm so sorry, and-"

Danny pulled the little girl in a hug. "It's not your fault. There's nothing you did wrong, honey, in any way. I'm just- very worried."

"But- but- I wasn't s'pposed to let anyone know," sniffled Taylor.

"And you didn't," answered her father quickly. "It was the snooping old man who saw you, didn't he? You didn't know he was there. I swear, I'll have some chosen words about privacy with that geezer."

She wiped her eyes. "Really? I- I didn't do anything bad?"

"Of course not."

Annette could feel the anger dissipating from Danny, and they squeezed each other hard. She herself didn't join in, deep in thought, but sent along some comfort and acceptance through the bond she and Taylor shared.

In some sense, she understood the reason the government had contacted them. Terra was slowly descending into chaos and anarchy with conflict blossoming through the Dark Side around the whole planet. For the side of law to reach out and try to gain as much information and advantages as possible was no stupid move, if slightly unethical. She'd seen much worse – most Outer Rim planets had little in the way of laws, not to mention ethics. One could even say that the Jedi themselves had been immoral, taking young children away from their parents.

Annette understood, but didn't like it. Her daughter was no parahuman. She was a user of the Force, not of some distasteful 'superpower'. It would bring her great pleasure to just leave the system behind forever, ready to not deal with curious governments. Alas, Taylor would not take such a permanent trip well, and danger lurked in every corner of her own galaxy for all Force-sensitives.

"It's getting pretty late," said Danny, prying the clingy girl off his chest. "Maybe you should go to sleep."

"Okay," murmured Taylor, head down. "G'night, mommy. G'night, daddy. I'm sorry."

Annette stood up and wrapped her arms around both of them. "Don't be, little owl. Blame can't be placed on the innocent, and you are nothing but. Sleep well. We'll talk more tomorrow."

Good-nights exchanged, Danny took the little girl with him, talking softly at her. He was still angry, of that was no doubt – even his wife was slightly mad, as much as it bothered for her to admit it. She did _not_ like the idea that the governance would intrude on their life, possibly even forcibly taking her daughter under their control. If that would happen, _kriff_ staying underground and undetected – she'd go in lightsaber blazing if needed.

Thankfully, it would not happen. Their equivalent of a mind healer would find no sign of abuse, for there was none, and that would be that. If they would not relent, she could simply tell them the truth – her daughter was not one of them. She was, and would be, much more, but the PRT would not know that.

This occurrence _did_ prove one thing for Annette; she shouldn't get too lax with Terrans. While they were technologically awfully primitive, they still possessed cunning and intelligence, and would not hesitate to use it – with their unsavory powers they could even do more. Annette shivered. The more time she spent on the planet, the more she wanted to take her daughter and whisk her away back to her home galaxy. But she couldn't do that to Danny – Taylor was as much his as hers. And she had grown to like the man. The only proper action would be to raise the level of her child's training. Maybe it was time to move on to lightsaber combat.

The aforementioned man returned to the kitchen, little Taylor dropped off. His mouth was a thin line, and his emotions were tinged with worry, anger, and fear. Annette looked at him reproachfully.

"You need to learn to control your emotions better," she said. "I'm quite sure the neighbor's dog could sense your distress."

Danny let out a bitter laugh. "You would know, wouldn't you? You seem keen on seeing it in others, rather than feeling it yourself."

Annette raised an eyebrow. Her husband sighed, shoulders slumping. "That was uncalled for."

"Maybe in tone, but not in content," she acquiesced. " _There is no emotion, only peace._ Being calm is a major part of how I live. It's not wrong to point that out."

"But you still do have strong emotions – you love Taylor, no matter what your Code says," retorted Danny. "Very much. Anyone could see that. And I do think you like me. So I apologize."

"You _have_ been tolerable throughout the years," she said, a glint in her eye, accepting his apology and ignoring the comment about love. "Hard to understand, really – you were an ill-mannered man when we first met."

Danny scratched his head, a sheepish smile on his face. "I'm going to have to agree on that one. Parenthood has mellowed me out." He took out some glasses. "Anything to drink?"

"Just water, please."

He poured a half-glass of liquor for himself, and filled up the other one with tap water. Passing Annette her drink, he sat down, features turning somber. Both took a sip, and a small silence fell. He then looked out of the window to the city filled with lights, and sighed.

"What are we going to about this?" he asked, eyes fixed on the glow.

Annette put down her glass. "We will comply."

"That's it?" questioned Danny. When she sent him a look, he continued. "I gathered that declining wouldn't be a choice, but- can't you use your Force magic to do something?"

She looked at him, apologetic. "The Force will show us a way. It won't be the way itself, as much I would like it to be."

"You sound like a cult leader when you speak like that," joked Danny. When she didn't deign to comment, only rolling her eyes, he continued on a dimmer tone. "Annette, I- can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

Danny hesitated briefly before pushing on. "Have you ever regretted teaching Taylor your powers? Because you _know_ people might pick up on her, uh, talents, and mistake her for a parahuman. Sometimes I feel that- that it will make her a target." he paused for a second, seeing if he got a response. Annette was simply listening, and he moved on. "I've seen what you can do. And if our little Taylor could do such, well…

"I'm just worried. Little Taylor is so young, she shouldn't…" Danny trailed off, ending his sentence with a sip from the liquor.

They fell into a silence, Danny waiting for an answer and Annette thinking of one. She had many logical reasons for her decision on training Taylor; she wanted to preserve the legacy of the Jedi, she wanted Taylor to have means to defend herself and others, she wanted someone to share the Force with – Annette could go on forever.

But they weren't _real_ reasons. Most of them were selfish, meant for Annette herself. It would've been much safer for her and her daughter if she'd kept her Jedi status a secret. Because of her actions, her child would be threatened; by parahuman's in Terra, and the Empire in her own galaxy. If her abilities would come out, well. Taylor would not have an easy time in life.

And yet: "I don't regret it," she said finally.

"Why?"

"I just- I don't know."

"…Okay."

Danny finished his glass.

 **-o-**


	8. Chapter 8

**FOR AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.**

 **PRT-ENE TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW 0071-0018** , **PART 01**  
 _conducted by Adam Cook, supervision on-site by PRT-1685, supervision through cameras by PRT-MS1._

Persons interviewed: Taylor Anne [REDACTED] - T Annette Rose [REDACTED] - A Danny [REDACTED] - D

Place and date of interview: [REDACTED], [REDACTED], 2002.

Time: Commenced 19:04 – Concluded 19:55

Interviewee: Adam Cook -AC

Recording devices: AUD01-LD-1, AUD01-LD-2

19:04 – AC: _This interview will be audio recorded for the duration of the interview, to maintain integrity and clear any possible confusion in the future. I am Adam Cook, Vice-Head of the PRT Psychiatric Department. If you three would introduce yourselves?_

19:04 – D: _I'm Danny [REDACTED]._

19:04 – A: _I'm called Annette. This is our daughter, Taylor._

19:04 – T: _Hello._

19:05 – AC: _Hello. Now, how this will go will be simple. We'll talk one-on-one, each member of the family taking a turn. Now, I know this might be uncomfortable, so try relax and don't overthink your answers._ _There's nothing to fear._

 _How has your day been, anyway?_

19:05 – D: _Fairly well. Of course this whole interrogation has put a negative spin on the past week._

19:05 – AC _: That's understandable._

19:05 – D: _How about we get rid of the pleasantries. Just ask your damn questions._

19:05 – AC: _If you wish so. I could start with Taylor, if that would be okay?_

19:07 – AC: _Don't worry, Taylor. I'm not here to hurt anyone – on the contrary. I just want to help._

19:07 – T: _We don't need help. There's nothing wrong with me or mom or dad._

19:07 – AC: _I believe you, Taylor. And that's what the higher-ups want to believe too, so let's prove that, hm?_

 _Maybe you'd like some sweets?_

19:08 – T: _Why do you have candy with you? You're a police officer._

19:08 – AC: _I'm not police, Taylor. I'm a bit too scrawny for that. And why do I carry them with me? Honestly – it's because I_ love _this flavor. Don't let my wife know, though. She'd throw them out in a heartbeat, being a health nut._

19:08 – T: _That's funny._

19:08 – AC: _I agree. But please, do take one. Do you eat much candy at home, Taylor?_

19:08 – T: _Not really._

19:08 – AC: _Why not?_

19:08 – T: _Mom always gives me peas and tomatoes and stuff like that. She says it's healthy, and dad doesn't really go against her in that. We do eat ice cream often, though. I love chocolate._

19:08 – AC: _I do too. Could you tell me when you eat, Taylor?_

19:09 – T _: Why do you want to know?_

19:09 – AC _: I have a daughter, you see, and she always wants to eat at very odd times. I think that if I could tell her about the normal eating routine for others, she'd not get up at midnight to raid the fridge._

19:09 – T: _Well, okay. I eat breakfast when I wake up. Usually porridge, or when it's a special day dad will make bacon and pancakes._

 _I eat lunch at school. It tastes almost always horrible. When I come home I often eat snacks._

 _And mom or dad makes the dinner. If dad makes it, it's good. Mom has really weird tastes, so I don't like her food that much. Oh, and I have an evening snack. It's often bananas or yoghurt or something like that._

19:10 – AC: _I love that kind of food. Have you heard of the new cookbook that has all the recipes the Triumvirate likes?_

19:10 – T: _Yes. My friend has one._

19:10 – AC: _It does have some exotic recipes in there. Maybe you could look for some and show them to your mom._

 _Now, tell me about your friend, would you?_

19:10 – T: _I'm not so sure I should, really._

19:10 – AC: _Why shouldn't you? Is she shy?_

19:10 – T: _No! Emma's super social and smart. It's just – she's my only friend. I don't want to tattle, or anything._

19:10 – AC: _Okay. I don't want to push. But you're quite outgoing yourself, Taylor. I really can't see you without having friends._

19:10 – T: _I have Emma. The others are stupid._

19:10 – AC: _Why are they stupid?_

19:11 – T: _I don't – I don't want to talk about that._

19:11 – AC: _Maybe I can help you understand, Taylor. Let me help. Is it because of your powers?_

19:12 – T: _I don't have superpowers._

19:12 – AC: _Please, Taylor. I can't help your family if you shut me out._

 _Would it be easier if I take the recorder off?_

19:12 – T: _Yes. Yes, it- it would._

[AUD01-LD-2 turned off. AUD01-LD-1 remains active.]

19:12 – AC: _There we go. Now, you do have some - abilities, do you not?_

19:12 – T: _Yeah. Yeah, I – I guess. You – you aren't going to tell anybody, right? I'm not supposed to tell anybody. It could be dangerous for others to know._

19:12 – AC: _The PRT protects. It doesn't endanger. I won't tell a soul, Taylor, I promise. And I'm sorry, but I have to ask some more questions – just to make sure any villains won't come after you._

19:12 – T _: Villains? I haven't done anything. Why would bad guys come after me?_

19:12 – AC _: Because that's what they do, Taylor. They take any chance they get to wreak havoc, and unfortunately for both of us, they wouldn't blink an eye to try to take advantage of your situation._

19:13 – T: _That's – that's awful._

19:13 – AC: _Indeed it is. And thus, some questions and some answers._

 _Could you tell me if your parents know of your powers?_

19:13 – T _: Uh, yeah._

19:13 – AC: _Since when?_

19:13 – T: _When I was a baby, I guess._

19:13 – AC: _You've been parahuman since you were a baby?_

19:13 – T: _Yeah? I was born this way. Aren't the heroes too?_

19:13 – AC: _Well, I- no. Do you know what a trigger- actually, let me ask you a different question. Have you ever been in great pain, emotional or physical?_

19:14 – T: _I broke my little finger once. Why are you like that?_

19:14 – AC: _Like what?_

19:14 – T: _Like that. Like I'm lying. Like you don't believe me. You think that I don't have the force, don't you? I don't want to talk to you anymore. I wasn't supposed to tell you anyway, so I guess it's good you don't believe me._

19:14 – AC: _Taylor, I do believe you. What's this force you're talking about?_

19:14 – T: _Go ask someone else. I want my mommy._

[PART 01 concludes.]

 **PRT-ENE TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW 0071-0018** , **PART 02** and **03** are available for viewing _here_.  
File on parahuman **TAYLOR [REDACTED]** , codename **EMOTION** , is available _here_.

Interviewer's conclusion on physical health: -Passable  
mental health: -Passable

Additional notes: "The child does not show symptoms of abuse in any form. She is remarkably well-adjusted for a parahuman – better than most adult heroes, in fact. It seems likely for her to be a second, or even a third generation parahuman, with her having possibly triggered extremely early. Both parents were tight-lipped in that regard.

Invitations for the Wards-program were given to and rejected by her parents. The girl in question seemed amiable to the suggestion, so recruitment could be possible in the future. If not to the Wards, then when she's old enough, to the Protectorate.

I suggest for surveillance to remain only a week or two. It is highly doubtful that anything would happen, and discovery of the surveillance would antagonize the already-annoyed family even more. With one certain and two possible parahumans this truly could be an opportunity, but it also could turn into a disaster."


End file.
